Jo anne's decision
by anotherndmfantasy
Summary: When Jo anne decided to leave the courtroom behind, including everyone in it, will Danny be able to change her mind? (author's note: I'm mostly doing this for myself, but if actually love this couple let me know what you think)
1. Chapter 1

Jo Anne sighs before she begins packing her belongings in the cardboard box. She has spent so much time in this office, but the court case with Danny had really opened her eyes. She is not made to be a lawyer, and she knows that this will just be a dead end job for the rest of her life. Jo Anne may be positive, but she still wants to do something meaningful. Something that she can actually progress in, something she's actually good at.

To be honest, she doesn't have a lot of personal belongings to begin with in this office. She has a photograph of her and her father, a few notes on cases, and one hidden photo of Danny himself, stashed away in a drawer so that no one knows how smitten she has become with him. It's a photo that was taken when he wasn't paying attention, which is often. His button down dress shirt had the top three buttons unbuttoned, and he is leaning back in a chair with his eyes closed. Jo couldn't pass up the opportunity. He seemed so relaxed.

She shakes her head, knowing that she wants what she can't have. He never gives a second glance at her, except when he needs details on cases. He's everything she's not, and it fills her with painful longing. Not because she doesn't want Danny to be a great lawyer, but because she should be just as good. Also because she will never be with him because of that, at least in her mind.

She carefully closes and tapes down the box, and carries it to her car. She's not sure where she's going, or what she's going to be, but she knows that she must go. Both her career and her heart has borne too much because of staying where she did not belong.

Danny hits another softball out of the park, whistling as he watches it soar. Jack, who has pitched it to him, sighs and shakes his head.

"You're the one who's picking those up, Danny boy." Jack says, watching the ball fly out of sight.

"Hm, how about this? If I hit the next softball out of the park, you pick up the balls for me. If I can't, then I pick them up." Daniel says, preparing himself to bat.

"What kind of fool do I look like to you?" Jack asks, knowing that he's a terrible pitcher. "You and I both know who's superior in this field." Danny's thoughts went back to the time he screamed out that he was a horrible soft ball player in a full restaurant.

Jack, as if reading Daniel's mind, spoke. "You know, you still have to make up for that time you announced that I was a lousy soft ball player. Really ruined my reputation, you know." Daniel chuckles, knowing his friend is just teasing him.

"Well, how about this? If you strike me out, I'll buy you dinner at that restaurant, and announce that you are the best soft ball player I have ever met." Jack grins.

"And if I lose, I'm assuming that it's on my dollar?" Daniel laugh.

"Damn right it is!" Jack shakes his head.

"No deal. By the way, have you talked to you friend Jo recently?" Jack throws the ball, and Daniel hits it out of the park once again.

"Not recently, I stopped in last week to see if she could come up with a client's health record. I actually have to stop in to ask her about some detailed family issues with the client. Why do you ask? By the way, you lost. You're picking the balls up." Jack sighs.

"So, she didn't tell you." Jack states, getting ready to pitch again.

"She didn't tell me what?" Daniel asks in a carefree manner. Jo Anne mostly keeps to herself, it's not surprising that he doesn't know something about her. What is surprising is that Jack does, however.

"She's leaving. She turned in her two weeks at the beginning of this month. Her last day is today." Jack pitches the throw, but Daniel is so caught off guard that the ball flies right past him. Jack looks at his friend, startled.

"Danny?" He asks tentatively. Daniel's face is full of confusion.

"No, Jo leaving? That's crazy talk, she loves this place. Besides, she would have told me if she was leaving." Daniel tries to keep his voice light, and carefree. However, he is anything but. He can't lose Jo, she's his light. The one that puts him in his place. What would he do without her? He prepares to bat again, but ends up dropping it back at his side.

Daniel looks at his friend, who is now looking at him in obvious concern. "I have to go talk to her. This practice is far from over though, Jack!"

And with that note, he turns and walks away towards his car, hoping that he could talk some sense into her.


	2. Chapter 2

Danny runs into Jo's office, to find that it is already empty. It didn't even show a trace that she was there at all, except for the cleanness of the space. He stops in the door way, the feeling of abandonment suddenly making him feel like he is drowning. He hears footsteps behind him, and feels Jack put a hand on his shoulder. They stay silent, until anger overwhelms Danny.

"How can she just leave like that, without a word? I thought that we were friends, and god damn it we're partners! How can she do this to me? To the team, we need her." Danny spins around to Jack, who just sighs and shakes his head.

"I'm sorry, Danny. I thought that she told you, and maybe she had. I mean, hell, she mentioned it to me for god's sake." The silence overtakes the scene once again, as Jack shakes his head and pats his friend on the back before leaving for his office. However, Danny barely notices. The painful ache in his chest is enough to block everything out, it is overwhelming. Truth be told, Danny never lets anyone in. And he let her in, with her in-your-face attitude to her optimistic view about winning an impossible case. She's everything he's not.

He finally is able to walk into the office, going up to the desk she once occupied. He sat in the office chair with a sigh, and then noticing a piece of paper on the corner of the desk. Curiously, he picks up the paper, with also has a sticky note on top. He stares at the note for a while, before snorting.

"Danny, this is the information you needed on the Beckett case. I'm assuming that you have a strong case with this evidence.

- keep fighting Daniel

Jo"

He crushes the note in his hand, before leaning back in the office chair and closing his eyes. He slowly takes out his phone from his pocket and dials Jack, who is the prosecutor for the case.

"I need to postpone the court date. I have to get Jo back." There is a pause on the other end of the phone before a sigh.

"Fine, but it can only be up to three weeks for an emergency."

Daniel nods, before speaking. " I'll take what I can get."

On the other end, Jack closes his eyes. "You're really caught up in her, Danny." He hears a silence on the other end of the phone before Danny speaks again. " Just give me the time, Jack."

He nods, and begins to write the memo, while keeping the phone against his ear with his shoulder.

"Will do, but Daniel just a warning: She's in New York. You may have a hard time finding her."

"Let me worry about that. If I learned anything from Jo, it is how to track details. Besides, I think I know where she is."


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, so maybe Danny didn't take in how big New York is. A 5 hour flight made him groggy, but truthfully he had no where to go. No plans, no rental cars, no real thought truthfully. Thankfully there's a shuttle bus from the airport to the subway station.

He boarded the bus, choosing a seat in the back near a window. Even though he said to Jack that he thought he knew where she was, he doesn't really have a clue. But, he knows that he will know once he sees it, it will just scream Jo. At that moment, a neat apartment complex pops out at him. He hesitates for a moment, before pulling the string to get off the bus. It's late, about midnight here, but he has to try something. He walks up to the office, and gently knocks on each door of the complex starting on the ground floors. Most people will not hear this knock, but years of military training will instantly awaken Jo up.

Daniel goes up one flight after another of steps, before finally getting to the last floor. He begins to knock on the last door, and thinks on his next move. He waits for a second, before stepping back and heading down the hallway slowly. The sound of the door swinging open catches his attention, and by now he is out of sight of who opened the door. It begins to close once again, before he decides to take a chance.

Sprinting, he manages to grab the edge of the door and swing it back open. He jumps in, and is slammed against the closing door. An arm is across his shoulders, with a very defensive Jo Anne. Her eyes widen a second, and her jaw drops. Daniel stares for a second at her flowing shoulder length hair, something he has never seen down.

"You know, I do like an aggressive woman. Very sexy." Daniel says, making her step back quickly. Her cheeks heat up, before she has her back to him.

"Danny, how did you find me?" She asks. Daniel stares at her back before answering.

"Jack said that you were in New York. And everything else is guess work, a coincidence. This place practically screams you, Jo. But never mind that, why did you leave us like that? How could you just leave without a word?" Her shoulders stiffen slightly, before sighing.

"It's a discussion for the morning, wouldn't you say?" She finally says, looking over her shoulder. "I'm assuming that you don't have a place to stay, correct?"

Daniel slightly winces, realizing how well she knows him. She searches his face, before going to a linen closet and pulls out blankets and a pillow. She hands them to him.

"You can sleep on the couch." She states. She looks at him again, before turning back around towards her own room. However, she is stopped when Daniel begins to speak.

"You have everything that you need: your furniture, your cookware, your bed. You have been planning this for a while, haven't you." Daniel tries to keep his tone light, but accusation seeps through.

"Shortly after I met you, I began preparations." She states. "It's a talk for another time, Kaffee. It's nearly one." Daniel nods, and Jo Anne walks back to her bedroom, closing the door.

Daniel stands in the hallway for a moment, before finally laying down on the couch, throwing the blanket over him that smells like Jo, not even bothering changing clothing. And despite the long, sleepless night/day he couldn't seem to drift into nothingness. He punches the pillow, frustration seeming out of him.

Nothingness is desperately needed. But, like everything else, Daniel is denied.


	4. Chapter 4

Despite the cool manner she spoke to Danny with, Jo is anything but. Tossing and turning, she couldn't help but feel guilty about not telling Danny. To tell the truth, she's not even sure why he cares so much. He made it clear many times before that she meant nothing to him, only calling when he needs help on a case. The sad part about that is that he usually does not need her, the little details that are given to him wins the cases hands down. Every single time. He didn't even talk to her in a month, until a week before she left for the Beckett case, and even then it was a brief conversation. So why does he show up now, in New York? He never cared before, so why does he care now?

Jo Anne sighs before turning back over to see the clock report that it's almost five in the morning. She sits up, rubs her eyes, and grabs her house coat from her bedroom door. She slips out of the bedroom, and into the kitchen silently, in order not to wake up Danny. She flips on her coffee pot, and measures the grounds in, which is actually somewhat difficult with the light off.

She sighs and flips on the light, Danny is a heavy sleeper anyhow. He slept through a fire alarm once in the building they were staying at for a case. She chuckles at the memory. Jack, Sam, Danny, and Jo all took the same car to the hotel and airport. While Sam and Jo tried their best to keep the work going, Jack and Danny both just enjoyed the day. Enjoyed it so much that they were both able to sleep through the very loud fire alarm. However, they were wide awake when the fire fighters came into their room. They ended up being personally ushered out by them. Jo snaps out of her memory once she realizes that the coffee is ready. She pours herself a cup, and sits it on the counter to get the sugar. She gasps in surprise as she turns around to see one disheveled Danny sipping on her cup of coffee. He raises his eyebrows up, and reaches over to grab the canister of sugar from her hands.

"It seems like your losing your touch, Jo." Danny as he put down the canister of sugar. She narrows her eyes at him as he leans against the counter, sipping coffee. She takes in how relaxed he looks, and how that smirk that she has gotten to know is on his face. She snorted, and reached over Danny for another cup. She could feel the heat coming off of him as she grabbed the cup and prepared her coffee, stepping back as she did so. They sip their coffee in silence.

"So, what was so funny earlier?" Danny asks. She hesitates taking a sip of her coffee, realizing now that Danny was awake when she sneaked in the kitchen. She glances up at him, and meets his eyes.

For a moment she gets lost in them, before shaking her head and staring down at her coffee once again.

"Nothing, just reminiscing." She flinches at the sad tone in her voice, despite hiding it. Jo can feel his eyes on her, but she refuses to meet his gaze.

"Jo, look at me." Jo feels the tears prickling in the back of her eyes, and stares down at her coffee cup, trying to regain her composure. Danny gently takes her chin and shifts her face upwards to meet his eyes. Now, she realizes that she can't stop looking at those green eyes, the eyes she never thought she would see again. She has never seen Danny so serious before.

"Jo..." Danny fumbles for words, making Jo want to cry even more. She backs away, making his hand fall from her face. She sets down her coffee cup, and hurriedly walks back to her room.

"For Christ's sake, Jo! Talk to me!" She almost turns around, but shakes her head and runs to the bedroom, closing the door behind her. It seems that the only thing she is capable of is running recently.

Jo has never been cowardly, but that's all she wants to do when she sees Danny. Unfortunately, she realizes with a start, you can't run away from yourself.


	5. Chapter 5

The sun streams out the window into Daniel's eyes, making him groan and throw his arm over his eyes. He slowly lowers his arms down and lets his eyes adjust to the sunlight. He sits up, and swings his legs to the floor. He rests his elbows onto his knees, and glances at the clock on Jo's wall. 10 am.

He groans again, and rubs his eyes. He walks down the hallway, and gently opens Jo's door, just to find it empty. He snorts, and walks back into the living room.

"Nice talk, Jo. Real nice talk." He mutters to himself. Since there is now enough light to see the place, he decides to look around. The living room is painted a neutral tan color, with a darker brown sofa and love seat. The television is near the front door, where to the left is the kitchen.

The kitchen has two openings, one in the middle of the hallway across the bedroom, and one by the front door. That's how Daniel surprised Jo so easily. He looks at the red walls, his eyebrows raised.

"This is pretty bold for Jo," he says out loud in an impressed voice. He walks over to the counter top to find a note for him, along with a spare key

"Danny,

We'll talk when I get home. I'll be back around 5. So, in the meantime, why don't you go get a few more clothes for your "trip" to New York. Or hit a few baseballs around, there is a field a few blocks from here.

Sincerely,

Jo"

He grins at the field part, and nods in decision. That will clear his head. However, it will feel different without Jack. He walks back to the couch, and checks his phone. One missed call from Jack. He dials the number he knows by heart, and Jack answers with the second ring.

"Danny boy, I was wondering what had happened to you."

"Yeah, believe me, you're not the only one wondering."

"Did you find her?" His tone was curious, but Daniel could tell his friend is holding back.

"Yeah, I found her and her completely furnished apartment. I mean, for someone that has just recently moved, that's a bit suspicious."

Daniel can hear Jack sigh on the other end before responding, "Daniel, you're taking this a bit personally. Maybe she had always wanted to live in New York. Or maybe-"

"She told me she started preparing as soon as she met me." Daniel said, cutting him off.

There was a slight pause, before Jack answered him. "Hear her out, Daniel."

And with that, the line went silent. Daniel looks at the phone and sighs. It's time to hit some balls.


	6. Chapter 6

Truth be told, Jo didn't prepare herself as Danny thought. She still owes money on most of the furniture, she bought most of it on credit a week ago. She also had just signed her lease a month ago, and the paint job a week after that. She's also living on her savings, which will last her a least a half a year. When she told Danny she started preparing, she meant she started saving. Saving for the day she knew that she would have to leave.

Thanks to her military connections and old friends, she is able to work as a secretary for a big law firm. Working as a secretary is far from fulfilling, but it's where she has experience. She sighs at her desk, and shakes her head at herself. She wanted to practice the law, not... this. Before she can beat herself up any longer, the office phone rings.

"Welcome to Barker's law. This is Jo, how may I help you?"

"Hello, Jo. This is Jack, Danny's friend."

Jo raises her eyebrows at this introduction. "I know who you are, Jack. You know, I have worked with you for years."

"You know me as Jack the prosecutor, not Jack the person." He states simply.

"Ok, what would you like me to do for you Jack?" Jo asks, already feeling herself becoming defensive.

" I want you to tell Danny the whole truth." Jo hesitates before answering.

"What makes you think I won't?" She asks cautiously.

She hears Jack sigh on the other end. "Jo, I have known you for a long time. And not once have I seen you open up to someone. Not until they assigned Danny to your case."

Jo feels herself tensing up, knowing where this is going.

"What are you trying to say?" Jo asks quietly. She keeps her eyes peeled for coworkers as she speaks.

"Tell Danny how you feel. Don't leave the biggest reason why you left unsaid." And with that last remark, the line went dead.

Jo looks at the phone for a while, before putting it down. She glances at the time, and realizes that it's already five. She packs her pens and notes in her purse before leaving the office. She walks down the office steps onto the sidewalk, and hails for a cab. She gives the parks' address, knowing that's where Danny will be. She can't avoid him forever, and the sooner he leaves the earlier that she can finally let herself fall apart.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update! I promise that more chapters are coming this week, so stay posted! Thanks!

* * *

Danny stands on the sidelines, encouraging his team as they bat. Danny smiles as he sees the high school player hit the ball so far that it surpasses his field of vision.

"Alright!" He calls to Bruce, who just smiles at him as he jogs around the diamond.

Danny had come just to bat some balls around in a batting cage, but when he got to the field and training area the local high school baseball team needed one more person for their scrimmage game. So, why not?

* * *

Jo walks into the park, quietly taking a seat when she realized that Danny turn to bat is up. She smiles as she sees his focused look, as if he is playing in a league. She winces, however, when Danny receives a strike. Her brows knot together in confusion as she watches him receive a strike again.

"I thought he was good at this?" She muttered quietly to herself.

* * *

Danny puts everything he has into focusing on that baseball. This is his third try, if he doesn't get this one, it's over for him. He watches the ball fly out of the pitcher's hand. He swings and connects with a crack. The ball flies into the stands, giving him an easy jog around the diamond. While jogging, he notices Jo with her pencil skirt and white blouse, and waves. She gives a small smile, and waves back.

He meets Jo at the entrance once he finishes the lap around the diamond, and waves back at his new team.

"Good game!" He shouts over.

Jo shakes her head and sighs. He can charm just about everyone. He's still grinning as they walk down the sidewalk.

"Hungry?" Jo asks, breaking the silence. " I haven't been here long, but I heard that there's a really good barbeque place within walking distance."

Danny nods absent-mindedly. "Sure, sounds great."

Jo stares at him for a minute, then rolls her eyes and turns away. Danny has his head in the clouds, as always.

Danny catches the eye roll out of the corner of his eye. He glances at her.

"What?" He asks.

She smirks a bit, then shakes her head. "It's nothing."

Danny opens his mouth to reply, but Jo cuts him off.

"We're here."


	8. Chapter 8

"Not bad." Danny comments as he finishes his ribs.

Jo nods at his comment. Jo would have to agree with him, this place is amazing. She hadn't had a pulled-pork barbeque sandwich since college.

"You're always feeding me when you don't want to talk about something." Danny states, leaning back in his chair. "You can't avoid it, Jo."

Jo looks up from her sandwich and meets his gaze, searching for the anger and disappointment she saw last night. There is none.

"I just needed a career change, that's all." She slowly says. She sees Danny's expression tighten a bit.

"So, you had to move halfway across the country to do that?" He replies.

Jo delicacy puts her pork sandwich down. "I thought the change in scenery would help."

"And what about the team?" Danny is now giving Jo a piercing stare, his expression when interrogating a witness. Jo gives him an odd look.

"What about the team? If you're worried about a replacement, Sam helped me find a more than qualified lawyer. Her resume is spotless, and she's a great lawyer."

Jo was going to continue, but is stopped by Danny.

"Same knew you were leaving? You told him, someone you couldn't stand at first, instead of me?"

Jo looks down at her plate, trying to find something to say. The table was silent, and Jo slowly glanced up to see Danny.

"I don't despise Sam." Jo speaks slowly. "I disliked you when I first met you as well, remember? And our…" Jo struggled to find the right word to describe their relationship.

"Friendship." Danny states.

"Are we, Danny?" Jo keeps a small smile on her face, finally meeting Danny's eyes. "Because, I called you so many times before, and you rarely picked up the phone or called me back. Danny, we've known each other for three years now, but I can only think of a few times when we were like this."

At this point, the waiter comes in with the check. Noticing the friction in the air, he silently puts it down on the table and walks away.

Jo searches Danny's eyes.

"So, Danny, maybe the question should be why you're here."


	9. Chapter 9

Jo swiftly picks up the check, and walks up to the register to pay. Danny lays down a tip for their waiter before jogging through the restaurant to finally catch up to Jo. Jo is still ahead of Danny as he exits the restaurant.

"Why am I here? Really Jo, isn't it obvious?" Danny calls after Jo. Jo suddenly stops, making Danny almost run into her. She spins around.

"Why are you here, Danny?" She asks.

Danny meets Jo's intense gaze. "The team is incomplete without you. No matter who you get to replace you, it will never be the same."

Jo shakes her head. "And when is the last time I went to a meeting? When was the last time I was informed? When was the last time I was a part of the team?" Jo's volume increases with each question she asks. She never once broke Danny's gaze.

Danny stares wordless at her, trying to find something to say. A bitter smile forms on Jo's face. It makes Danny want to hug her, to say that what she's saying is not the truth. However, he found himself realizing that he can't say that.

"Would you like to know what I think? I think that you got so used to winning, that you just can't stand to lose. You are just a big child throwing a temper tantrum. Go home, Kaffee." Jo says softly.

Danny gazes at her, finally finding the words. "You're hiding something, there's something off about all of this. Something to do with me. I have to know the truth, all of it, if I leave without you."

Danny sees Jo rolls her eyes. "You know it. When I met you, I knew I wouldn't make it as a lawyer. So, I changed."

"No, it's more than that. I know you." Danny steps forward and lays his hands on her shoulders. Danny sees Jo's eyes go wide, as she tries to step back. However, Danny refuses to let her back away, and keeps his grip firm. He leans his face closer to hers, close enough to see the details in her hazel colored eyes. Those eyes give everything away for Jo, no matter how well she hides her reaction. The color changes in her eyes when she's feeling a certain way. Right now, they change into a dark brown. She's defensive. " What's the real reason, Jo Anne?"

* * *

Jo feels her pulse rise, and she screams at herself for it. Making sure she keeps a cool exterior, she finally replies. "Maybe you just don't know me as well as you thought you did."

Danny's face is a serious mask as he searches her eyes for deception. She suddenly realizes that this is why he wins cases, this feeling of being stripped down just because of his one look. She feels his grip slacken on her shoulders, allowing her to step back. She turns around and begins to walk forward again. She feels herself calm down with each step she takes, but at the same time she's disappointed. She's disappointed that he didn't catch her bluff.

"I'm not giving up." Danny says, who is now besides her.

" I didn't think you were." Jo states. "However, if you're staying, you're going to need more than a small bag of clothes."

Danny looks at her and nods. "Yeah, I really didn't think everything through."

Jo shakes her head, making Danny smile. " When do you ever think anything through outside the courtroom?"

From the corner of her eye, Jo sees Danny's smile get a bit bigger. She steps up to the side of the road and hails a taxi.

* * *

Jo opens the door and glances back at him over her shoulder.

"Coming?" She asks.

"Wouldn't miss it." He calls back.

He finds himself sliding into the back of the taxi hoping that his luck will change. Because how it stands right now, this is one situation he may lose. He's positive about only one thing, that he does not want to find out what a Jo-less future looks like.


End file.
